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Government of Canada supports creativity and innovation in a digital economy

News release

Introduces reforms to intellectual property laws and to the Copyright Board

October 31, 2018 – Ottawa, Ontario

Today, the Government of Canada proposed legislative changes to implement its Budget 2018 commitments pertaining to intellectual property (IP) laws, including with regard to the Copyright Board, to better encourage innovation, attract investment and support an efficient and fair economy.

Building on recent consultations on reforms to the Copyright Board of Canada, the proposed changes to the Copyright Board are designed to improve the timeliness, predictability, and clarity of Board proceedings and to increase efficiency by allowing more direct negotiations between users and collective societies. These changes would promote business investments and provide faster payments to musicians, writers and other content creators, in addition to reducing the cost of proceedings for all participants. They would better position our creators and cultural entrepreneurs to succeed and to continue producing and investing in high-quality Canadian content.

Other changes to IP laws would help drive innovation by clarifying acceptable behaviours and removing loopholes that allow individuals or organizations to use IP in bad faith for their own gain. The amendments would also create an independent body to oversee patent and trademark agents, to support the provision of quality advice from IP professionals, and to ensure that professional and ethical standards are maintained.

Together, these measures would provide a fairer and more efficient approach to serving the interests of both the owners and the users of IP, and help Canadian innovators compete in an economy increasingly driven by IP and creativity.

Quotes

“Our government is taking action to help Canada’s hard-working innovators and creators protect their ideas and reap the full rewards of their hard work.The changes we are proposing are a crucial part of our Innovation and Skills Plan and of Canada’s first-ever IP Strategy, which is designed to help Canadian innovators compete in an economy increasingly driven by IP and creativity.”

– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

“Supporting Canadian cultural content, compensating our artists in a fair and timely manner, and ensuring greater access for Canadians are all key to a strong creative industry. Over the last year, significant progress has been made to reform the Copyright Board. I am confident the proposals put forward will better serve our creators.”

– The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

Quick facts

The Intellectual Property Strategy was announced in Budget 2018 and legislative changes to the Copyright Board and intellectual property laws are being introduced with the Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2.

Budget 2018 committed $85.3 million over five years to the Intellectual Property Strategy, including a $1.2-million (33%) increase in the Copyright Board’s annual funding so that it may hire additional staff and have the capacity to implement upcoming reforms.

The Strategy also includes a suite of seminars, training, and resources to help improve IP literacy among Canadians as well as tools to support Canadian businesses as they learn about IP and pursue their own IP strategies.